Florida
Car Accident Lawyer Blog

In the summer, the majority of fatalities and serious personal injuries to children under the age of 14 are the result of car accidents. During the summer, more families are on the road, headed to the cottage, shuttling their children to and from camp activities, and going on family roadtrips. While all of these activities can be quite safe, taking extra precautions is an important part of summer safety.

Booster and child safety seats are an important part of the equation. Experts say that a correctly fitted child safety seats can reduce a child's risk of death or injury by up to 75%. Children who are under 4 feet and 9 inches in height and weight between 40 and 80 pounds should always be placed in a booster seat each time they are placed in the car. The booster seat works by allowing the seat belts to close around the child correctly by lifting the child up.

When the child is over 4'9" tall and 80 pounds or more, he or she is ready to use a regular seatbelt. It is important to always strap the child in with the seatbelt before getting in the car yourself. Teach your child about the importance of the safety belt, and encourage your child to buckle up themselves. If your child tends to unbuckle themselves, consider getting a special safety device to prevent the child from opening the seat belt buckle.

If you are traveling with an infant who is less than 1 year old and weighs 10kg (22lbs) or less, you will need a rear facing car seat. These car seats protect the baby the most and prevent the child from being thrown about in the event of a car accident. Read the directions of your car seat carefully – some rear facing car seats are made for infants up to 32 lbs.

Some parents may wish to opt for a convertible seat for children one year of age or a little older. The convertible seat is meant for children who are up to 30 lbs, although some models today are built for children up to 35 lb. These seats are rear-facing and protect the child better. They can eventually be turned into front-facing safety seats, simply by adjusting how they are placed in the car.

3-in-one car seats are safety seats that can be used with children between 5lb and 80lb. The seats can be mounted as rear-facing or front-facing. Harnesses keep the child safe in the seat while the seat belts keep the seat in place. Most manufacturers recommend that parents replace these seats every six years.

Avoiding car accidents and their attendant broken bones, spinal cord injuries, burn injuries, head injuries, and other serious injuries is not just luck. In many cases, knowing a little bit extra and being a little more prepared can help you avoid a collision. Here are some tips for becoming a savvy driver:

1) Figure out where people tend to run red lights and stop signs on your regular routes. There are likely high-collision intersections and areas where you drive. Figure out where they are. Usually, simply by taking note of traffic accident reports or by making a call to the local paper or police station, you can get a list of the most-run intersections and stop signs in a city. Use extra caution at these areas and account for drivers who may be running red lights or stop signs.

2) Check weather and traffic reports before stepping into your car. It’s a good habit to get into, especially since today you can often get a traffic and weather report from your mobile device or your laptop. Knowing what you have to contend with can give you that extra edge behind the wheel.

3) Know your vehicle. Get to know your car and how it handles in every situation. Every vehicle handles a little bit different and knowing how your car handles can help you adjust your driving to your car. Knowing how quickly your car takes to brake, for example, is essential if you want to prevent an accident.

4) Get to know the drivers around you. As you drive, keep an eye out not only on the traffic, but on the habits of drivers around you. A car that is drifting in its lane, for example, could have a tired or distracted driver. You might want to allow more space between yourself and that driver. If a driver seems very aggressive, you will want to stay away from that driver – and his or her vehicle.

5) Get a tip from race car drivers. Taking racing school or classes is not only fun, but it also teaches you how to respond very quickly in various crash situations. Drivers who take racing school also learn a whole new respect for the car.

Avoiding car accidents often involves not only following the rules of the road, but also using some common sense. Experts recommend that drivers follow these tips to avoid car accidents:

1) Make lane changes correctly. Check your blind spots first and always pass on the left. Never pass in a no-passing lane. Driving and passing all over the place only increase your risk of an accident. Dangerous, risky driving increases your risk of personal injury and fatalities, so be willing to wait a little to pass or change lanes correctly.

2) Use your lights correctly. If you are turning or changing lanes, turn on your signal lights before you make your move. If you are stopping by the side of the road because there is something wrong with your vehicle, leave your flashers on. Your lights are your best way of communicating with other drivers and are invaluable in preventing accidents.

3) Exercise extra caution in parking lots. Parking lots mean lots of competition for coveted spots, pedestrians, and poor visibility. This can add up to risky situations and pedestrian accidents. While you are generally not driving very fast in a parking lot, a crash here can cost you in insurance and in time. Always slow down in parking lots and be extra vigilant about checking blind spots.

4) Keep a distance between you and the car in front of you. You should be able to see the back tires of the vehicle in front of you at all times. If you are driving fast or are on a highway, you should be able to see the car’s side mirrors, as well. Tailgating means that you won’t have enough time to stop suddenly if you have to. If someone is tailgating you, signal the driver to go around you.

5) Be aware when you are in someone’s blind spot. The area between the rear view mirror and the side mirror is the blind spot for most drivers. While drivers are supposed to check their blind spots before changing lanes, not all do. Stay out of other cars’ blind spots to avoid accidents.

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The message about drinking and driving has been around since before the 1980s, but it still seems that many drivers are not getting the message. According to Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), in 2007 about 12,998 people were killed in car accidents where a driver had a blood alcohol level above the legal limit. In 2007, therefore, this means that about 31.7% of traffic deaths were alcohol-related and therefore fully preventable. This figure does not even take into account the number of serious burn injuries, broken bones, head injuries, and spinal cord injuries that resulted from impaired driving.

The summer poses a special challenge to groups such as MADD, because more outdoor festivities and more holidays often mean more drinking. Barbeques and hot days mean more beer for many people and many outdoor patios serve alcoholic drinks as well. Holidays such as the Fourth of July often involve drinking. Unfortunately, in some cases, people who have been taking part in drinking at these festivities get in their car.

Many people who drive drunk are not even aware that they are above their limit. It is possible for someone to feel sober but still be above the blood alcohol limit. Even one of two drinks can place a woman or a slender man above the blood alcohol limit. Simply “feeling” well enough to drive is not enough. It’s important to find out whether you are above the blood alcohol limit – even if you feel sober.

One good way to ensure that you don’t inadvertently drive under the influence is to purchase a small breathalyser device. Hardware and general stores now sell these for only a few dollars. They can be attached to your keychain and can tell you instantly whether you are near or over the blood alcohol limit. Testing your blood alcohol level each time you step to your car is an excellent practice that can ensure that you don’t drive under the influence.

If you are hosting summer events and serving alcohol, you, too, have a responsibility to ensure that your guests don’t get into their cars if they are under the influence of alcohol. Stop serving alcohol and start serving fruit drinks, soda, or water well before your event finishes. Make taxis or other means of safe transportation available to anyone who has had too much. Ask that anyone who has had too much take this transportation home instead of relying on their own car.

Keep in mind, too, that even small amounts of alcohol can add up. Even if someone is not technically above the blood alcohol limit, he or she could still be a danger on the road. If your event has run late, your guests may be sleepy. Even small amounts of alcohol can make these guests feel sleepier and can make them a hazard on the roads.

Most ways to avoid car crashes and the resulting personal injuries rely on common sense. We all need to be reminded of the basic rules and basic common tips for avoiding car accidents. However, there are also some lesser-known ways you can avoid car accidents, according to experts. These tips may not be what you learned in driving school, but they can help keep you safe on the road:

1) Stay away from the left lane. This is where most highway car accidents take place, and there are a few reasons for this. This is the lane where traffic tends to go fastest and it is also the lane where you have fewer places to go in the event that you need to get out of the lane fast. Statistically, the right and center lanes give you more options in preventing an accident and decrease your chances of a crash.

2) Pay attention to hand position and grip. You should have your hands at the 9 and 3 o’clock position at the wheel and your grip should be similar to what you exert on a telephone. The position ensures that you have the best possible control of the car if you suddenly need to move fast. The grip helps ensure that the wheel does not slip from your hands and that you hands don’t get too tired from a white-knuckle grip.

3) Sit closer to the steering wheel than you normally would. The best position for your seat is so that you can place your wrist on top of the steering wheel, with your arm stretched out all the way. Your back should be flat against the seat. While this is closer than most drivers sit to the wheel, it is actually how race car drivers sit, as it improves control of the vehicle.

4) Avoid going over curbs and other solid objects that will cause your car to leave the pavement. At high speeds, especially, this is the primary cause of car rollovers. Even if you have an SUV, avoid obstructions or steer around them. In the event of speed bumps, slow down.

5) Don’t eye attractive people on the sidewalk or the billboards. You may scoff, but studies have shown that drivers ogling attractive people of the opposite sex results in 900,000 car accidents annually. Keep your eyes on the road.

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While automobile accidents are common – too common – year-round, in the summer pedestrian accidents are a concern for many motorists. Pedestrian accidents are common in the summer and, unfortunately, a disproportionate number of these accidents involve child victims. All pedestrian accidents tend to involve serious injuries. Most pedestrians involved in accidents suffer from serious head injuries, spinal cord injuries and other life-threatening injuries. Since children are smaller, their injuries in a pedestrian accident are more likely to be fatal. Here are some ways to avoid being in a pedestrian accident this summer:

1) Exercise caution when reversing. Children will sometimes run behind a car, not knowing that it is in reverse. Children often do not look for the driver or for a car’s lights when they run out to chase a ball. Check all your blind spots before reversing, especially in a parking lot or a driveway.

2) Consider installing a camera in your car that allows you to see directly behind your car. This device displays the view directly behind your car right on your dash board. These devices cost less than $100 and make parking much easier while also preventing accidents. These devices are especially handy if you drive a large truck or SUV.

3) Be careful in residential areas, especially areas that allow on-street parking. Areas with cars parked on either side restrict visibility – a child could run out from between parked cars very suddenly, especially in residential areas, where children sometimes play close to the road.

4) Slow down. In many cases, speed is a deciding factor in car accidents. If you are speeding, you will not have enough time to slow down if a child runs out into the street. If you are speeding, you are more likely to kill someone if you are in a pedestrian accident.

5) Teach your own children pedestrian safety. Teach your own children to cross only at sidewalks and teach your children how to be responsible pedestrians. If your children play outside in the summer, make certain that they play far away from road ways.

Teens get into many accidents, many of them preventable. Even one accident involving a minor is often a tragedy and as anyone who has tried to get a teen insured knows, teens are considered by insurers as a high accident risk. Unfortunately, teens get into accidents each day and these car crashes often result in broken bones, spinal cord injuries, burn injuries, head injuries and other serious problems. There are, luckily, many ways that you can help your teen reduce their risk of accidents:

1) Drive well yourself. Teens often pick up habits from their parents. If you drive well, take driving privileges seriously, and take steps to ensure that you keep your skills up to date, chances are good that your teen will adopt some of the same habits and attitudes. You are more of a role model than you may realize, so make sure that your driving habits are worth emulating.

2) Consider offering extra lessons. Your teen has likely taken some form of driver’s education already, but consider offering to help finance extra lessons, such as refresher lessons, defensive driving lessons or continuing lessons. Extra training from a qualified professional prepares your teen driver for all sorts of driving conditions and makes you teen more confident behind the wheel. If extra lessons can help prevent an injury or accident, it is certainly money well spent.

3) Set rules. Many parents hesitate to set rules for their teen drivers, but setting rules – such as “no passengers after dark,” “no more than one passenger at a time” or “no driving while texting” – can help save a life.

4) Get familiar with how your teen drives. Many parents miss the signs of problem habits. Make sure that you accompany your teen on drives. Does he or she take unneeded risks? Does he or she have bad habits that could be dangerous? Now is the time for additional training, before dangerous habits become permanent.

5) Reward your teen for good behaviour. If your teen drives well and displays positive, good habits – such as calling you rather than drinking and driving – reward him or her. Similarly, do not hesitate to take away driving privileges if you see signs of dangerous driving.

Most experts agree that distractions in the car are a major contributor to car accidents that result in fatalities and serious personal injuries. Many of us try to multitask in the car, but these distractions can cost you a great deal:

1) Difficult directions. If you are driving somewhere unfamiliar, you may need directions or a map, but be aware that these directions may distract you from the road. Always print off directions or maps in a large font and post them in your car where you can easily see them. If you need to read details on a map, pull over. When posting your directions in your car, make sure that the paper does not cover any important items on the dashboard or get in the way of the gear shift.

2) Phones. Cell phones are a major problem in cars. They distract you from the road and slow your response times. If you must use a phone, at least use a hands-free headset so that both your hands can remain on the wheel. Better yet, pull over to talk.

3) Planning. If you’re trying to make plans about where to eat, what to do, or how to complete your errands, you may not be responding as quickly as you need to. Plan your day ahead of time and use the time in your car to focus on your car and the road.

4) Eating, drinking, and smoking. All these activities take some focus and require the use of at least one of your hands. You could easily be in a car accident while trying to fumble with a candy bar wrapper or while trying to put out a cigarette. Wait until you pull over.

5) Loose objects. If you are in an accident, loose objects – even relatively small ones – can become projectiles and can cause serious and even fatal head injuries. Small objects can also get loose and roll under your gas or break pedals, affecting how you drive. Loose objects can also cause distracting noise as you drive if they roll about in your car. Keep everything securely in your trunk.

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In a car accident, brain injuries are a common and very serious injury sustained by drivers and passengers. Brain injuries usually occur in a car accident when the head comes into direct and sudden contact with a hard object. This can happen if someone is thrown from the car or if someone is whipped around inside a car so that the head crashes against the interior of the vehicle. In a car accident, drivers and passengers can be thrown around with some force because of the force of a crash. This can result in serious head injuries.

In some cases, the head does not even have to crash into anything for a brain injury to occur. The brain is a soft, jelly-like mass inside the skull. If a head is whipped around very violently, the brain can bump against the skull with considerable force. In some cases, this causes injury and bruising to the brain, which can mean a brain injury.

Brain injuries can be fatal. They can also leave long-term or even permanent injuries. Some people who have sustained a brain injury find that their senses are severely affected. Some people have vision problems, for example, or problems with hearing or smelling things. In some cases, brain injury victims have trouble walking because their balance is off. Some people experience memory loss or emotional upheaval.

Treatment for brain injuries usually includes lots of tests. In some cases, surgery might be needed to remove some of the pressure inside the skull. In the long term, brain injury victims may need rehabilitative care or physical therapy to cope with walking or speech problems. If a victim has severe memory problems after a brain injury, he or she will generally need lots of help in completing simple tasks and in performing every day activities. Some patients need to have flash cards, for example, to remind them of simple things, such as how to make breakfast.

A brain injury can be devastating, especially if serious symptoms such as vision problems or memory loss are long-term or permanent. Some victims find that they cannot return to their jobs while other require very long hospital stays. Some people with brain injuries experience severe depression or emotional upset as they try to adjust to their injury.

After a car accident, it is important to visit a hospital or doctor right away, even if you’re not sure you have a brain injury. Even if you have few or no symptoms, you could have sustained a brain injury that needs immediate treatment. Seek help right away, just to rule out this potentially deadly injury.